We live in a time of strange and unprecedented musical sub-genres: who, for example, could have predicted that Enter Shikari would attract so much attention with a blend of screamo punk and epic Faithless-influenced trance? But perhaps no current music phenomenon is as odd as the sub-section of the singer-songwriter genre entirely devoted to songs about what a crap bloke Loudon Wainwright III is. His former wife and sister-in-law Kate and Anna McGarrigle kicked things off a decade ago with the title track of their album Matapédia, but it's in recent years that the concept has really blossomed. Son Rufus offered to give him a thump on Dinner at Eight, while his daughter Martha coyly alluded to her anger towards him on her debut single Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole. Their half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche is pursuing a musical career and presumably has her own dad-related grievances to air: given the amount of media attention the whole business has received, it's only a matter of time before some canny bandwagon-jumper not actually related to the former star of Carrot Confidential writes a song bitterly bewailing his paternal shortcomings. If things carry on at this rate, they'll end up with their own section in HMV: Hip Hop/R&B/Metal/Punk/Emo/Music Complaining About the Hopeless Parenting Skills of Loudon Wainwright III.
Martha Wainwright's magic voice
Obviously Canadian-American family Wainwright has already managed to make an enormous contribution to the world's musical culture and it looks like it is not rest upon laurels. The music of country performers Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and their children Rufus and Martha has been pleasing the fans all over the USA and Canada and abroad for several decades now. Although before her eponymous debut album was released in 2005 Martha Wainwright sang quite many times with various performers, and exactly due to it the singer has gained a real fame. This spring she releases her sophomore effort whose title I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too practically leaves no doubt concerning her non-standard approach to song-writing. It is not surprising taking into account the fact that the things have not always been fine in the Wainwright family and all the scandals and troubles would become known to public. Yet Martha Wainwright's magic voice in combination with wonderful melodies does not let the listeners fall into despondence not even for a second listening to I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too, the album which easily pretends to be one of the year's best pop works.
The widest spectrum of feelings on I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too
Each track on I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too is a definite story filled with the widest spectrum of feelings from happiness and admiration to sadness and nostalgia. The album opens with composition Bleeding All Over You, devoted to the former beloved, filled with rather dolorous emotions. The catchiest tune on the record is on the chorus of You Cheated Me, refined with great guitars while track Jesus And Mary pleases with Martha's emotional performance. A slow lyrical ballad Tower Song surprises with complicated fiddles in the accompaniment and an unusual melody while on Hearts Club Band the singer either reduces her singing to a whisper or amazes with sharp vocal bends that harmonize greatly with a sax. A light sadness on So Many Friends is connected with the past for the reminiscences of childhood here are joined with the present in which many are already gone, whereas song about the singer's mother's illness In The Middle Of The Night depicts not too pleasant images and a complicated instrumental background featuring a flute only adds to emotions. A classic composition of a platonic love The George Song pleases with rock elements and humorous lyrics while a somewhat sad song Niger River surprises with a simple guitar accompaniment and a most beautiful tune. One of the album's highlights is certainly track Jimi due to both deeply thought lyrics and faultless heavy rock guitars and drums, but a real surprise is the cover on Pink Floyd's See Emily Play that has gained a great pop sounding. The record closes with a slow composition I Wish I Were once again amazing with its sincerity.
The music one wants to listen again and again
Pop folk performed by Martha Wainwright is the music one wants to listen again and again for it unites the most varied moods and everybody can find something for oneself in it. Although one of producers of I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too Brad Albetta has recently become the singer's husband one can hardly say that this important event has somehow reflected on her lyrics. The relations with her father and other family problems have served the source of her rather painful texts for the second time already. As on the debut record Martha's sense of humor and wit once again let her remain optimistic even when the memories are most unpleasant. On the whole addressing former lovers and attempts to understand oneself and people around have become the leading themes on I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too. Yet often the meaning of songs and their external framing do not correspond to such an extent that no matter how sullen Martha's message may be she is definitely only enjoying her music and these contradictions make her second work a very worthy addition to the collection of the Wainwright family's creations.
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